Can I keep my doctor with private PPO health insurance?

Yes. We verify your doctors are in-network before you enroll. Our licensed advisors only recommend health insurance plans that include your providers when available.

What is a private PPO health insurance plan?

Private PPO plans are off-exchange health insurance options available only through licensed agents like RKA. They often include broader nationwide networks and different cost structures than marketplace plans.

Do I qualify for health insurance savings?

Many households qualify for income-based premium tax credits on marketplace health insurance plans. Our licensed advisors estimate your monthly contribution and compare marketplace vs private PPO options.

When can I enroll in health insurance?

Private PPO health insurance plans are available year-round. Marketplace plans have Open Enrollment periods and Special Enrollment windows. Speak to one of our licensed advisors to verify what you're eligible for.

Coverage Alert • North Carolina

Cigna Is Leaving North Carolina's ACA Marketplace in 2027

Fast take: If you have a Cigna individual or family plan in North Carolina, it won't renew for 2027 — it ends December 31, 2026. About 16,000 North Carolinians are on Cigna's exchange plans. Most brokers will just move you to another marketplace plan; we're one of a limited number of agents who also offer private nationwide PPO plans — priced on your health, with a broader network — and we compare both so you get the right fit, not a computer's auto-assignment.

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What sets us apart: anyone can put you back on the marketplace — every broker has it, and you can self-enroll. What most agents can't offer is a private, medically-underwritten nationwide PPO: priced on your health instead of your income, with a broad national network and year-round enrollment. For a healthy North Carolina household or anyone above the subsidy line, it's frequently the better — and cheaper — way to replace a Cigna plan. We're one of the few who compare both for you.

Dec 31, 2026When your Cigna plan in North Carolina ends

+14.9%Weighted average 2027 rate increase in NC

~16,000North Carolinians on Cigna exchange plans

What's happening

Cigna announced in April 2026 that it is leaving the individual ACA market to focus on its larger business lines. The result for North Carolina: Cigna individual and family plans will not be sold or renewed for 2027. This affects both on-exchange plans (through HealthCare.gov) and off-exchange Cigna individual plans. Employer group and Medicare products are not affected.

What's changing in North Carolina for 2027

North Carolina's marketplace is holding up better than some states, but costs are still climbing. The weighted average rate increase for 2027 is about 14.9%, and Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina — the largest carrier — filed an average increase of 17.7%, with individual plans ranging from roughly 7.8% up to 22.9%. On the plus side, Bankers Reserve (Ambetter) is joining North Carolina for 2027, adding a new option as Cigna leaves. From Charlotte and Raleigh to Durham, Greensboro, Winston-Salem, and Asheville, the smart move is to compare every remaining option — marketplace and private PPO — rather than accept whatever plan you're defaulted into.

Your two ways to replace it

Private nationwide PPO

Offered by only a limited number of agents — we're one
Priced on your health, not your income — often cheaper if you're healthy or above the subsidy line
Broad nationwide PPO network, no referrals, enroll year-round
Medically underwritten — not everyone qualifies

A new marketplace (ACA) plan

Best if your income qualifies you for a subsidy
Guaranteed issue — no health questions
Any subsidy you get today carries to the new plan
Networks are often narrower (HMO/EPO), with referrals

The risk if you do nothing: when a carrier leaves, the marketplace may auto-move you to a "similar" plan chosen by a computer — one that may drop your doctor in North Carolina, cut a medication, or cost more. On January 1, 2027 you could be on a plan you never picked — and miss the private PPO option entirely.

What you should do now

1. Don't wait for the auto-switch. Choose your own 2027 coverage during open enrollment.
2. Compare both. Weigh a private nationwide PPO against a new marketplace plan — premium, network, and total cost.
3. Match it to your doctors and prescriptions. Confirm your providers in North Carolina are covered before you enroll.
4. Enroll before the deadline so your new coverage starts January 1 with no gap.

Key dates for 2027 coverage

Deadlines that matter

Dec 31, 2026 — your current Cigna plan ends
Nov 1, 2026 – Jan 15, 2027 — open enrollment (marketplace)
Dec 15, 2026 — enroll by this date for Jan 1 coverage (no gap)

Good to know

Private nationwide PPO plans enroll year-round — not tied to open enrollment
Every marketplace plan is guaranteed-issue — no denial for pre-existing conditions
Many of the same doctors in North Carolina are in other carriers' networks

← See the full Cigna 2027 overview & all affected states

Losing your Cigna plan in North Carolina? See the option most brokers can't show you.

We compare private nationwide PPO plans and marketplace options in North Carolina — matched to your doctors, prescriptions, and budget — at no cost to you.

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Frequently asked questions

Is a new marketplace plan my only option?

No. Besides a new marketplace (ACA) plan, you can replace a Cigna plan with a private, medically-underwritten nationwide PPO, which only a limited number of agents offer. It's priced on your health, uses a broad national network, and is often cheaper if you're healthy or above the subsidy line. We compare both.

Which carriers are in North Carolina for 2027?

Cigna is leaving, but Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina, UnitedHealthcare, and others remain — and Bankers Reserve (Ambetter) is joining for 2027. With rates up around 15%, it's worth comparing everything that's left before you enroll.

When does my Cigna plan end?

December 31, 2026. It will not renew into a Cigna plan for 2027.

Will I lose my doctors or my subsidy?

Not necessarily. Many of the same doctors are in other carriers' networks, and any marketplace subsidy carries to a new marketplace plan. A private PPO uses a broad national network. The key is comparing both before you enroll.

Does it cost anything to work with an advisor?

No. A licensed independent advisor is paid by the carriers, so there's no fee to you for help comparing private PPO and marketplace plans and enrolling.

Robert Adams

President & Licensed Agent, RKA Insurance Advisors · NPN 19540130 · (561) 806-9913

This article is for general educational purposes and is not a substitute for personalized advice. Carrier participation, pricing, and enrollment dates for 2027 are based on public rate filings and announcements and are subject to state review and change; confirm details for your situation before enrolling. RKA Insurance Advisors is an independent, licensed health insurance brokerage specializing in private, medically-underwritten nationwide PPO plans in addition to ACA marketplace coverage. Private plans are not ACA-compliant and are subject to medical underwriting — not all applicants qualify. We do not offer Medicare. This content does not constitute insurance, legal, tax, or financial advice.